Molding system and method

Abstract

A molding system includes a single molding machine, or station, having one or more molds therein, wherein the single machine, or station, is operable to both heat and cool the material present within the one or more molds while rotating the mold. The single machine, or station, can also be loaded with starting material and unloaded directly at the machine.

1 . A molding system comprising: 
 at least one molding machine having at least one mold with wall areas for defining the shape of a part to be molded, the at least one mold having a substantial part of its wall areas directly heated with electrothermic material, the electrothermic material being adapted to heat raw material present within the at least one mold;    a conveyor line associated with each machine for moving at least one completed part away from the at least one molding machine; and 
 at least one assembly and/or packing station for receiving the at least one completed part from the conveyor line.  
   
   
   
       2 . The molding system of  claim 1 , comprising at least two molding machines, each molding machine having a corresponding assembly and/or packing station.  
   
   
       3 . The molding system of  claim 1 , comprising at least two molding machines, each molding machine having a corresponding conveyor line, each conveyor line leading to a single assembly and/or packing station.  
   
   
       4 . The molding system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one robot associated with each molding machine, the robot being adapted to load and unload a corresponding molding machine.  
   
   
       5 . The molding system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one molding machine is adapted to selectively heat or cool the material present within the at least one mold.  
   
   
       6 . The molding system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mold includes a plurality of electrodes coupled to the electrothermic material.  
   
   
       7 . The molding system of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature-controlling device to control the temperature of the electrothermic material.  
   
   
       8 . The molding system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one molding machine is a rotational molding machine.  
   
   
       9 . A molding machine comprising: 
 at least one mold, the mold having wall areas that are arranged to shape a part to be molded and being adapted to receive material within an interior portion of the mold;    an electrothermic material arranged to directly heat substantial portions of said wall areas; and    at least two electrodes in electrical contact with said electrothermic material positioned between the mold surface at the electrothermic layer or coating,    wherein the electrothermic material is adapted to conduct heat substantially evenly over the heated wall areas of the mold.    
   
   
       10 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , further comprising a temperature-controlling device to control a temperature of the electrothermic material.  
   
   
       11 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , wherein electrodes are adapted to supply electricity directly to the electrothermic material.  
   
   
       12 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , wherein the at least two electrodes comprise a thin foil, electroplated metal film or perforated sheet-like material.  
   
   
       13 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , wherein the at least two electrodes are powered by one of a 12, 24, 110-120, 220-240, and/or 440-480 volt electrical connection.  
   
   
       14 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , wherein the electrothermic material is formulated for a desired voltage and heat.  
   
   
       15 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , further comprising cooling lines coupled to the at least one mold, the cooling lines being adapted to cool the mold and the material present within the mold.  
   
   
       16 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , further comprising cooling lines incorporated into the mold body, the cooling lines being adapted to cool the mold and the material within the mold.  
   
   
       17 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , comprising at least two axes, each of the axes having one or more posts adapted to pipe fluid into the system for cooling lines and one or more posts adapted to pipe electrical wiring to the mold.  
   
   
       18 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , wherein the mold includes movable parts therein to create sophisticated part configurations.  
   
   
       19 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , wherein the mold includes a logging device coupled thereto.  
   
   
       20 . The molding machine of  claim 9 , wherein the molding machine is a rotational molding machine.  
   
   
       21 . A molding method comprising: 
 loading a powdered material into a mold;    heating the mold via an electrothermic material applied to a surface or being part of the mold to a first predetermined temperature, the first predetermined temperature being suitable for fully melting the powdered material; and    once the material has been fully melted, cooling the mold via cooling lines coupled to the mold.    
   
   
       22 . The molding method of  claim 21 , further comprising heating the mold to a second predetermined temperature via the electrothermic material prior to loading the powdered material into the mold, the second predetermined temperature being above room temperature and below a melting point of the powdered material.  
   
   
       23 . The molding method of  claim 21 , further comprising selectively heating different areas of the mold via the electrothermic material.  
   
   
       24 . The molding method of  claim 23 , wherein the different areas of the mold are selectively heated to different temperatures.  
   
   
       25 . The molding method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of a 12, 24, 110-120, 220-240, and/or 440-480 volt electrical connection is used to heat the mold via the electrothermic material.  
   
   
       26 . An electrothermic material layer arranged to contact a material being processed with heat transfer from the electrothermic layer or to contact an intermediate layer or layers of which one is in direct contact with the material being heat processed with heat transfer from the electrothermic layer, the electrothermic layer or the intermediate one layer being capable of assisting to shape or maintaining the shape of the material being so processed, the electrothermic layer being arranged to substantially envelop the material being processed or at least arranged to be substantially co-extensive with a large portion of the surface of the material being processed whereby the conductive heat transfer area is at least a relatively large part of the surface being shaped or maintained of a side of the material being processed, so as to promote a high rate of heat transfer between the electrothermic layer and the material being processed.